Endurance: The Next Chapter (IC)

Ketryn's eyes switched to look at Vetrys. She decided to let Wratchet sketch her, trying to shrug off the fact that she was the mechanic as she had something else to think about, currently. So they were being watched and the groups were trying to decide if they were a threat? That makes no sense....

"Let me ask you something," Ketryn slowly said, her voice flat. "What would you do in our situation, sir? If you were captured and your captors treated you harshly, only giving you cold words- would you treat them kindly and act peacefully, or be remorseful? How do you expect for us to act when we're being held prisoner and looked down upon as if we're nothing more than low-life beings that have no thought processes?"

Ketryn paused for a moment before adding in, "If you judge us that way with how you're treating us, however, such studies of our behavior would only proved to be biased, which in examinations you need to take away, correct?"

Vetrys looked at Ketryn for a moment, thinking. She was right, of course, but it was not something he had neglected to consider. There were other variables.

"You make a point," he said, "but your happiness is not more important than the lives of our families." He frowned, almost looking concerned, "there is no other option."

That was a lie. There was indeed another option, and she didn't want to know what it was. This was luxury compared to the other place they could be. With that thought, he added on, loudly, "Levith will be back later to decide which of you will be moved out." He turned away before anyone could ask any questions, and began talking to Wratchet.

"Don't you have a cell to be fixing?"

"Yes, families should be a priority. But what if their well-bein depends on how you treat prisoners? Suppose one were to mistake- what would happen then?" Ketryn sighed. "My point is you can't judge as, as I stayed before, in a non-biased way unless you treat us in a non-biased way. Neither kindly nor harshly. It is only then that one can tell the natural behavior of any being."

Ketryn looked down at Wratchet, before sighing once again and leaning back. There was no use trying to explain these things to Vetrys. His mind wouldn't change, most likely.

Vetrys looked at Ketryn for a moment. He looked upset, as much as he would let himself be, but not entirely angry. There was something else. "If you knew what they're going to do to the Hunter," he said quietly, "you would not be complaining."

Somnus looked up, curious. He wondered if he should ask... If Vetrys didn't want to talk them, that was fine, he supposed. "What are they doing?" He asked, not entirely hostile.

Vetrys just shook his head. "Don't ask questions you don't want the answers to."

Ketryn found herself tilting her head down, wanting to glare at Vetrys when he mentioned Hunter. She was wanting to spout out insults and threats, but such things would lead to nothing productive. In fact, it would probably only worsen things from her side of the situation. They were examining them, trying to see if they were violent. She already wasn't in a good position, challenging their captors.

Ketryn was silent for a moment as Kydi spoke up before answering with her input.

"Judging by what Vetrys said... what do you think you wouldn't want to happen to Hunter?" Ketryn's voice became quieter as she said, "Either death penalty or experimentation. If I were you and had to choose between the two, hope for the first. Experimentation is worse." Ketryn was quiet once again before speaking some more, her voice now an emotionless whisper. "I'm sorry."

Vetrys spun around, hissing.  The frills on his neck rose, displaying the bright orange and yellow colors.  He glared at Ketryn, clearly very angry.  "Experimentation?" he said, his voice low, as if he was still hissing, "That's what they did to us!"  Slowly, he looked at each of the other prisoners, even Kydi.  "I need you all to understand one thing," he growled, "we are not and will never be like them.  We do not torture and we definitely do not experiment on people!"

He paused, then calmed down slightly.  He was in no way happy, but he stopped talking.  Even Somnus had almost shrank back, but he had stopped himself, staring right back at him.  This was someone who, while he may not have seen the Invaders when they first arrived, lived out the damage every day on a dying planet.  Somnus felt sorry for him, really.  But that didn't mean he wanted to be locked up...

When Vetrys snapped, Ketryn slowly stepped back. They weren't going to experiment on them or Thray? Her shoulders slowly slid down, showing relaxation as if a weight had been lifted off of them. She wouldn't have to worry bout that, but...

Ketryn glanced at Kydi before looking back at Vetrys, and then Wratchet. All of this confusion was making her head hurt- well, her mind, to be specific. Ketryn mumbled something under her breath as she rubbed the temples of er head before finally letting out a flat sigh.

"The fact you've been experimented on lays out a common ground for us then. I would think you weren't so bad if I didn't think you were executing Thray, even if that has yet to be confirmed," Ketryn said, emotionless, at Vetrys before turning around to walk to the cot on the far end of the room and sitting down. She didn't want to say anything else that may be taken as "nice" to him.

Vetrys stared at Kydi for a moment. He had mostly tuned the conversation out over the past few minutes, but he still got the gist of the conversation. He couldn't quite understand how Kydi could be so curious, so open, to people who had just captured him by force. He chose not to respond to the question, but he did say something.

"What news?" he asked, skeptical.

Somnus looked up when Vetrys spoke. He had been silent the entire time Kydi had been talking to Wratchet, so Somnus wondered what could've prompted him to react. It seemed Kydi had something important to say.

Vetrys paused, more confused than anything.  Did Kydi think he was intimidating?  Kydi was tall, but that expression didn't do him much good.  He sighed quietly.  Whatever this information was, Kydi seemed to think it was valuable to him.  But did that mean anything?  Perhaps...

"Alright," Vetrys said after some thought.  "The-" he paused, then decided to go along with it, "Thray has been taken to the games."  He said this with some distaste.  It was obvious he wasn't happy with the idea.  He looked at Kydi, as if daring him to ask what the games were. He didn't really want to explain, and thought Kydi didn't really need to know anyway. It was unlikely to be dangerous in any way if the prisoners knew, but he didn't like the idea of making them wonder how their friend was doing.

Ketryn looked between Kydi an Vetrys, confused. What wa the games? And who was Overarch? Ketryn stood up and looke at the two, trying to figure things out. Not just games. THE Games. What could it be like? Ketryn remembered how in history class they learned about their ancestors holding games where they fought at high risks- whether it be for honor or a fight to the death. Her nonexistent throat swallowed in nervousness. Let's hope it's not that. Now who was the Overarch?

Ketryn walked to the edge of her cell, where she had been standing earlier, before slowly saying, "What are you two talking about? The Overarch? The Games? This information both of you are giving is useless to me since right now since I have no idea what it means."

Vetrys swallowed. The Overarch? Dead? Could he trust a Kyrenien to bring him this news? If it was true, then they were safe, if only for a short time before the Invaders reformed, if they ever did. But was it even true? He blinked at Kydi, somewhere between distrusting and nervous. He heard Ketryn ask who the Overarch was, and suddenly he was speaking.

"The Overarch... Is the leader of the Invaders. He alone is responsible for almost all our misfortune..."

Somnus slowly nodded, volunteering his own experience. "While I didn't know for sure until recently, I can tell you that I've seen their ships, now. Most are badly damaged from fights among themselves. Take away the leader and they fall into chaos."

Vetrys looked back and forth between Kydi and Vetrys, still unsure. Finally, he looked right at Kydi with his yellow slitted eyes, and asked, "is this true?"

Ketryn felt inwardly pleased upon the news Kydi gave. So he was gone, huh? Dead? Excellent. Less to worry about, now. All Ketryn had to worry about was her own species and the prison she was currently in. No more Kyrenian problems. But that still left one question...

Ketryn placed he hands on the prison bars, careful not to get shocked by the outer electrical force field as she spoke. "That is very good news, but what are the Games? And when will they decide what to do with us?" Her words were quick; louder than usual- this showed signs of either excitement or fear, despite the lack of emotion in her voice. It may have been a mixture of both feelings. Ketryn was really unsure of her views on the situation. She wante to go, of course, but where could she go? The Yarksonians were of no help. They would either make her work for them or experiment. And Ketryn would do ANYTHING to avoid the latter.

Vetrys frowned.  He wanted to believe what Kydi said, but he couldn't be sure.  He supposed it would do no harm to go along with it.  And then Ketryn asked about the games.  He took a moment to think of a way to describe it.

"The games are...  a sport." he said, spitting out the last word.  This was something he would never agree with, nor have the authority to change.  "They are reserved for those who commit the greatest crimes.  The prisoners mainly fight the monsters from deeper underground, but sometimes..."  he trailed off, not willing to continue.  Vetrys decided to answer the other question before anyone could say something.  "As for you, I don't know.  It is my job to keep you out of trouble, and Levith's to decide what to do with you."

"Wait wait WAIT!" Donfroste got up from his nap and walked over to the glowing laser wall that separated him from his captors "you're going to make us fight gladiator style to the death? Is this really how your court system works? I know savages with better tactics than this!" "You know what wake me up when I'm ready to be led to slaughter oh and you know it's considered rude to ignore people".
As he went back to his corner he looked at Ketryn "nice to meet you miss he said tipping his helmet in a respectful gesture.

Ketryn looked at Donfroste, pretty sure if she could have smiled she would have. This being seemed more amusing than others here, as well as... Kinder? She was unsure. "Nice to meet you," she said politely, nodding he head in acknowledgement. She wanted to just sit and talk with this one, really... but there were greater matters at hand. She then turned to Vetrys and Wratchet again.

"I find it humorous how you speak of never becoming like the Invaders, and yet you hold 'games' involving battles to the death that are exactly what I believe they would have done for entertainment, whether it be for criminals or no. You are letting the pain of other become your entertainment, correct?" She quickly glanced at Kydi, "no offense," she quickly added.

Vetrys narrowed his eyes, aware that his answer could make it seem as if he didn't trust the other Jakulo.  After some deliberation, he spoke.  "You...  Have a point," he said, "but I'm afraid I am just the warden."  He nodded, slowly.  "I trust Praceus, make no mistake, he is a great leader, but if I had a true say in the matter..."  he shrugged, "I suppose your friend would be dead already.  Is that preferable?"

"Though.." Vetrys continued, "those who are victorious get to go free..."

Somnus wasn't sure what to say about that.  He supposed Vetrys was right about one thing, they could've outright killed Thray.  It would have been kinder, but perhaps... They could get him out?  Maybe Thray could even get himself out, one way or the other. He didn't want to betray the trust of these people, they truly seemed to be trying their best to keep everyone safe.  But this was a misunderstanding, and something had to be done.

*   *   *

Trailing just behind Parrath came another creature, dressed just as raggedly, though he also wore a belt.  He was a cream color, marked with black 'tears', a dot on each cheek, and three stripes on each of his arms and legs.  From the back of his head down to his tail was a thick black mane, though it consisted of long, thin feathers.  The tip of his tail was made entirely of these feathers.  His bright blue eyes met Thray's, brave and unflinching.  He was nervous, yes, but he knew how to deal with fear.  "Cap'n..." he said quietly, "what say ye?"